Galvanised Steel Hoppers

Choosing The Right Galvanised Steel Hopper

A hopper isn't something you want to choose just because one shape looks nicer than another.

The main things to check are fairly simple: where the water is coming from, how much space you've got on the wall and what size downpipe sits underneath it.

Our galvanised steel hoppers are part of the Zambelli metal rainwater range, so they can be matched with the appropriate steel pipework rather than trying to join together random components from different systems.

Some are compact and understated. Others have a longer, wider body which can work better where several flows of water need bringing together or where you simply want a larger hopper visually.

80mm Or 100mm Outlet?

Start with the downpipe. Selected hopper heads are available with either an 80mm or 100mm outlet and that always gives you options to match different Zambelli steel rainwater systems.

If you've already bought the downpipes, this bit is easy - choose the compatible hopper outlet to suit them.

If you're starting from scratch, don't automatically go for the biggest option. The roof area, gutter system and overall drainage layout all play a part in deciding what pipe size makes sense.

Our galvanised steel downpipes include the matching pipes, bends, branches, clips and other fittings needed to carry the water down the building.

Compact Or Longer Hopper Head?

There's quite a noticeable difference between the hopper shapes in this range.

The more compact steel hopper heads keep things simple and work nicely where you just need a clean transition into the downpipe without making the hopper a major feature of the building.

Longer rectangular designs give you a wider opening and a more architectural look. They can be particularly useful beneath wider rainwater outlets or where the hopper needs to sit beneath more than one discharge point.

Have a look at the available dimensions rather than judging it from the product photo alone. A hopper can look quite small on a white-background image and then feel completely different once it's fixed to the side of a house.

Natural Galvanised Or Colour-Coated Steel?

This is where you can change the look quite a bit. Natural galvanised steel has that familiar metallic finish and works brilliantly when you actually want the rainwater goods to look like metal. It suits timber buildings, modern extensions, agricultural-style projects and contemporary properties particularly well.

Prefer something darker? Selected galvanised steel hopper heads are also available in coated finishes.

Depending on the product, this can include colours such as:

• Black
• RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey
• Dusty Grey
• Grey White
• Sepia Brown
• Grey Aluminium

Not every hopper is available in every colour, so check the individual product before ordering.

Match The Hopper To The Rest Of The System

It usually looks better when the hopper and downpipe belong together.

An anthracite hopper going into an anthracite steel downpipe gives you one continuous finish. The same goes for black or natural galvanised steel.

You can also match the system further up the building with our galvanised steel guttering, rather than changing materials between the gutter, hopper and pipe.

That doesn't mean every part of a rainwater system has to be identical. But if everything is visible on the same elevation, keeping the material and colour consistent normally gives a much cleaner finish.

When Do You Actually "Need" A Hopper?

Not every gutter installation needs one! On a conventional roof, the gutter will often discharge straight into an outlet and downpipe. Simple.

A hopper becomes useful when you need to collect water before it enters the vertical pipe. For example, you might have a roof outlet discharging through a wall, a small gutter running into another drainage point or more than one source of rainwater feeding into the same downpipe.

They can also be used where the rainwater head forms part of the look of the building rather than being hidden away.

If all you need is a standard gutter-to-downpipe connection, an ordinary running or stop-end outlet may make more sense.

Don't Forget The Water Has To Leave The Hopper

It sounds obvious, but it's easy to focus entirely on the size of the hopper itself.

The downpipe underneath is just as important.

A large hopper doesn't automatically improve drainage if the outlet or pipe below isn't suitable for the amount of water entering it. That's why we always recommend thinking about the hopper, outlet and downpipe as one arrangement rather than three separate products.

For larger roofs or unusual drainage layouts, send the drawings or roof dimensions to Trade Warehouse before ordering. We can help you work through which components you actually need rather than simply guessing from the product photos.

Replacing An Existing Steel Hopper?

Replacement jobs need a little more checking. Two steel rainwater hoppers can look almost identical from ground level while having completely different outlet sizes or overall dimensions.

Before ordering a replacement, measure:

• the overall width of the existing hopper
• its height and projection from the wall
• the downpipe diameter
• the outlet position
• how water currently enters the hopper
• the space available around it

Take a couple of photos as well. One from straight in front and another from the side normally tells us far more than a description such as “black metal hopper”.

If you're trying to match an older product, don't assume it is Zambelli just because the dimensions look close. Hopper outlets and fittings aren't necessarily interchangeable between manufacturers.

Build A Complete Galvanised Steel Rainwater System

The hopper is only one part of the setup.

Depending on the project, you may also need:

• steel gutter lengths
• gutter brackets and unions
• outlets
• internal and external corners
• 80mm or 100mm downpipes
• bends and offsets
• pipe clips
• shoes
• branches and other pipe fittings

Keeping the main components within one compatible range makes ordering much easier, particularly around outlets and connections where small differences in dimensions matter.

If you're comparing steel with other materials instead, have a look through our wider rainwater hoppers collection. You'll find aluminium, cast iron, zinc, copper and other metal options there too.

Why Choose A Zambelli Steel Hopper?

For us, the main appeal is that these aren't isolated hopper heads with no real system behind them.

Zambelli gives you matching guttering, outlets, downpipes and pipe fittings, so you can build the rainwater system properly rather than trying to make a hopper from one manufacturer work with pipework from another.

The range also gives you a good choice between 80mm and 100mm steel hopper connections, different hopper proportions and several finishes.

And because the products are steel, you get a proper metal rainwater system without having to jump straight to heavier traditional cast iron or more specialist architectural materials.

Ordering Your Hopper

First, work out the outlet size. Then choose the hopper shape and finish.

That's really the easiest way to do it.

If you're replacing something existing, photos and measurements will normally save a lot of back and forth. If it's a new project, drawings are even better.

Trade Warehouse supplies the hoppers alongside the matching steel guttering and downpipe components, so we can help you put together the rest of the rainwater system at the same time rather than finding out halfway through the job that you're missing a fitting.